Jonathan Athon was the bassist and vocalist for popular Savannah, Georgia sludge metal pioneers, Black Tusk. Inspired equally by ’70s metal, speed metal, and punk, Black Tusk formed in 2005 and quickly rose to the top of the Savannah metal scene which also includes Kylesa and Baroness. After a handful of self-released albums and split EPs, the band signed with Relapse Records who released their breakout album, 2010’s Taste The Sin. The band continued to deliver what fans wanted, both on record and in concert, over the next four years. During the night of November 8, 2014, Athon and his girlfriend were reportedly riding on his motorcycle when they were involved in a collision with an automobile. Both sustained serious injuries but Athon was put into a medically induced coma to monitor his more severe head trauma. Details of the accident, as well as the condition of the other driver, were not immediately released. On November 9, 2014, Jonathan Athon was reportedly removed from life support and passed away. He was 32.